Five worst Jason Licht draft picks

[Defense5599]

1. Roberto Aguayo- By a country mile. A kicker in the second round and not a very good one. What the fuck was he thinking??

2. Austin Sefarian Jenkins- Talented piece of shit who couldn't stay out of trouble in the locker room or off the field

3. Charles Sims- Big, bruising pansy who was too scared of getting hit

4. Justin Evans- If only he could've stayed healthy. Meanwhile Buddha Baker is lighting it up in Phoenix

5. MJ Stewart- Secondary bust who bounced around between CB and S before being let go.

[uscbucsfan]

You didn't even list the worst pick from the Licht, worse than Aguayo IMO.

VHIII.

11th pick in the draft that was cut before the end of his 4th year.

Aguayo makes 0 sense...a kicker in the 2nd round. It makes it worse that he sucked, but for the 11th pick in the draft to be absolutely horrible is worse as far as cost vs return.

I'd remove Evans, because he was a good player who was injured and probably include Noah Spence as well.

[Dread]

I'd certainly add VH3, although to pushback on USC's point that was a horrible 1st round crop of prospects. In hindsight we should've traded down or for future picks.

Justin Evans was not a bad pick, just an unfortunate injury situation to a really talented player.

Can't argue with ASJ. Talented guy but overlooked the glaring character issues he had.

I'd add in OJ Howard. Another ASJ where Light got memorized by the athlete and it blinded the rest of the evaluation. OJ has far better character than ASJ obviously, but Howard is all athlete and not much of an actual football player. You can't blame coaching/player development either for OJ being a bust b/c we've had good TE coaches who have developed undrafted guys like Brate and Auclair.

Plus we could've traded down into the later 1st round and drafted Dalvin Cook when we desperate for a RB as well.

I get that is all hindsight and I'm not a fan of hindsight draft takes, but that is the nature of this thread.

1) Aguayo
2) VH3
3) ASJ
4) OJ Howard
5) Sims

[Grahamburn]

The #1 overall pick not making it to a second contract hurts pretty bad.
Kyle Trask if not only for the opportunity cost of drafting someone who could have helped the 2021 roster, but the thought that additional assets may now need to be used to acquire a different QB.
Aguayo and VH3 are obvious. MJ Stewart was a waste. Even Ronald Jones could be argued as a pretty poor pick considering what he's actually contributed in his 4 years.

[Defense5599]

I'd certainly add VH3, although to pushback on USC's point that was a horrible 1st round crop of prospects. In hindsight we should've traded down or for future picks.

Justin Evans was not a bad pick, just an unfortunate injury situation to a really talented player.

Can't argue with ASJ. Talented guy but overlooked the glaring character issues he had.

I'd add in OJ Howard. Another ASJ where Light got memorized by the athlete and it blinded the rest of the evaluation. OJ has far better character than ASJ obviously, but Howard is all athlete and not much of an actual football player. You can't blame coaching/player development either for OJ being a bust b/c we've had good TE coaches who have developed undrafted guys like Brate and Auclair.

Plus we could've traded down into the later 1st round and drafted Dalvin Cook when we desperate for a RB as well.

I get that is all hindsight and I'm not a fan of hindsight draft takes, but that is the nature of this thread.

1) Aguayo
2) VH3
3) ASJ
4) OJ Howard
5) Sims

It was a tossup between VH3 and MJ Stewart. VH3 is still in the league and that's what tipped the scales. As for OJ Howard, at the time we weren't in need of a running back. We desperately needed TE help and he kinda dropped into our laps.

[nybf]

The #1 overall pick not making it to a second contract hurts pretty bad.
Kyle Trask if not only for the opportunity cost of drafting someone who could have helped the 2021 roster, but the thought that additional assets may now need to be used to acquire a different QB.
Aguayo and VH3 are obvious. MJ Stewart was a waste. Even Ronald Jones could be argued as a pretty poor pick considering what he's actually contributed in his 4 years.

QB chosen last year to sit behind Brady who hasn't thrown one single pass yet is the 2nd worst pick of Licht's tenure? Woof.

[uscbucsfan]

The #1 overall pick not making it to a second contract hurts pretty bad.
Kyle Trask if not only for the opportunity cost of drafting someone who could have helped the 2021 roster, but the thought that additional assets may now need to be used to acquire a different QB.
Aguayo and VH3 are obvious. MJ Stewart was a waste. Even Ronald Jones could be argued as a pretty poor pick considering what he's actually contributed in his 4 years.

QB chosen last year to sit behind Brady who hasn't thrown one single pass yet is the 2nd worst pick of Licht's tenure? Woof.

That would be a pretty could tenure, no?

[Grahamburn]

The #1 overall pick not making it to a second contract hurts pretty bad.
Kyle Trask if not only for the opportunity cost of drafting someone who could have helped the 2021 roster, but the thought that additional assets may now need to be used to acquire a different QB.
Aguayo and VH3 are obvious. MJ Stewart was a waste. Even Ronald Jones could be argued as a pretty poor pick considering what he's actually contributed in his 4 years.

QB chosen last year to sit behind Brady who hasn't thrown one single pass yet is the 2nd worst pick of Licht's tenure? Woof.

I explained why. :shrug:

Trask was a 2nd round pick. He was inactive for every single 2021 game. Now we're talking about trading 3 1st's and massive cap space for Watson or Wilson? Woof indeed.

[uscbucsfan]

QB chosen last year to sit behind Brady who hasn't thrown one single pass yet is the 2nd worst pick of Licht's tenure? Woof.

I explained why. :shrug:

Trask was a 2nd round pick. He was inactive for every single 2021 game. Now we're talking about trading 3 1st's and massive cap space for Watson or Wilson? Woof indeed.

He was the last pick in the 2nd round. If he ends up ever starting it was a good pick.

It's ridiculous to put that in the top 5 at this point, but you do you.

[nybf]

QB chosen last year to sit behind Brady who hasn't thrown one single pass yet is the 2nd worst pick of Licht's tenure? Woof.

That would be a pretty could tenure, no?

It would be if it was remotely true.

But I'm not sure what's worse - the never ending infatuation with getting comp picks or completely writing off a player who no one on this board has ever seen throw a pass in pewter and red. Regardless of all our film gurus who spend thousands of hours a week analyzing all 22.

[King Bootz]

1. Vernon Hargreaves
2. Roberto Aguayo
3. Noah Spence
4. OJ Howard
5. MJ Stewart

That 2016 draft was brutal.

[Defense5599]

That would be a pretty could tenure, no?

It would be if it was remotely true.

But I'm not sure what's worse - the never ending infatuation with getting comp picks or completely writing off a player who no one on this board has ever seen throw a pass in pewter and red. Regardless of all our film gurus who spend thousands of hours a week analyzing all 22.

I watched him in the preseason. He looked much better than Gabbert or Griffin.

[Nobody]

Considering overall cost/setback to the franchise, opportunity cost, value of pick disparity, specific lack of return on investment, and “could this disaster have been averted with better foresight (eg was the proverbial writing sufficiently on the wall?)?”:

1. Winston
2. VH3
3. Agauyo
4. MJ Stewart
5. Evans

You can make a case for plenty of others, but in my criteria above, I feel like those are the biggest. There are several (dis)Honorable Mentions in the 2nd round like Spence, SMB, Jones and ASJ and then OJ. 3rd rd RBs that didn’t make any real difference in the first 2 years (or late with Simms) like Simms and Vaughn. And yes, despite everyone’s favorite splash player around here, Devin White has produced like a top 5 pick for about 7 games through a 3 years + a playoff run resume. If that percentage doesn’t radically increase, he’ll be on this list in 2 years.

2021 can’t be on this list yet, but it’s looking like there may be some issues.

[IronDog]

At least Vernon Hargreaves has seemed to mature a great deal.

Didn't he draw a flag for running to the endzone celebration in street clothes during the "Big Game"? That maturity you are snarking about is going the wrong way.Yes I know your comment is sarcasm.

[Four Verticals]

At least Vernon Hargreaves has seemed to mature a great deal.

Didn't he draw a flag for running to the endzone celebration in street clothes during the "Big Game"? That maturity you are snarking about is going the wrong way.

All Pete was doing is pointing out Vernon's team first attributes.

[Nano]

It's honestly a marvel that Licht still a job after how terrible his draft and FA classes were prior to 2018. If he doesn't strike Brady/2020 draft gold, he's probably fired by now

[King Bootz]

It's honestly a marvel that Licht still a job after how terrible his draft and FA classes were prior to 2018. If he doesn't strike Brady/2020 draft gold, he's probably fired by now

You're not wrong. Even with all of the success over the last 2 years, we are still 58-71 with him as GM with winning records in just 3 of the 8 seasons.

[real bucs fan]

There like 20 guys I could name lol

Really demonstrates how bad Licht has been. Depressing.

[Terry Tate]

The #1 overall pick not making it to a second contract hurts pretty bad.
Kyle Trask if not only for the opportunity cost of drafting someone who could have helped the 2021 roster, but the thought that additional assets may now need to be used to acquire a different QB.
Aguayo and VH3 are obvious. MJ Stewart was a waste. Even Ronald Jones could be argued as a pretty poor pick considering what he's actually contributed in his 4 years.

QB chosen last year to sit behind Brady who hasn't thrown one single pass yet is the 2nd worst pick of Licht's tenure? Woof.

Potentially, yes. If after a year of sitting behind Brady we go and trade for a new QB than he was a completely wasted pick.

As to VH3, he's near the top right there with Aguayo. We had a decent spot in that draft. We had the 9th pick and at least one really good prospect. It turned out, that player was Laramy Tunsil who many pegged as the #1 pick. So what do we do? Do we take the elite tackle prospect or reach for a limited corner with local roots?

I was not happy that we traded back and passed on Tunsil. Then, he's still there and we take Vernon god damned Hargreaves....

Then, as if that wasn't enough, he drafted Noah Spence and Aguayo in the second. There may have been worse drafts but I can't remember any off the top of my head.

I was fully on board with firing Licht after that draft but he's turned it around. Somehow.

[real bucs fan]

I’d definitely list Jameis before Trask lol one was #1 overall and a proven bust and the other is inconclusive and was end of the 2nd round. Before knocking Trask I’d knock taking JTS if you want to argue about losing out on a guy who could have helped us last year. “my guy” in last years draft was Elijah Moore and if we had let AB walk and took Moore we’re likely SB champs today.

[nybf]

QB chosen last year to sit behind Brady who hasn't thrown one single pass yet is the 2nd worst pick of Licht's tenure? Woof.

Potentially, yes. If after a year of sitting behind Brady we go and trade for a new QB than he was a completely wasted pick.

Completely wasted? Does he expire or something?

[King Bootz]

Potentially, yes. If after a year of sitting behind Brady we go and trade for a new QB than he was a completely wasted pick.

Completely wasted? Does he expire or something?

If we trade for a QB like Watson or Wilson, his time here is over before it starts. So in essence, yes, he does expire.

[MJW]

Aguayo is literally the most senseless Bucs draft pick ever (apologies to wrong card guy.) There was no argument at the time that made the pick make sense. It wouldn't have made sense regardless of what Aguayo did in the NFL (it might have become more defensible if he'd been great, but that's not the same thing.) Drafting a kicker in the 2nd round is the sort of thing a 5 year old on a Madden server would do and instantly get laughed at for. With good reason.

Beyond that, we can argue. MJ Stewart made no sense. He was either going to be too small and slow to be an effective corner, or too small and undisciplined to be an effective safety. His best case scenario was maybe growing into a decent 6th DB/special teamer. Not a guy you take in the mid-second round. I have no idea what Licht saw in his tape or his workouts that told him otherwise. It's simply not there.

ASJ had more red flags than a Xi rally. I can't quite give a pass for that pick, but it's at least defensible. The guy had top 15 talent. Sometimes, you roll the dice, and sometimes you crap out.

Charles Sims irritated me. He projected as a situational player, which is what he was. Taking him #69 overall, when Doug Martin was still a stud and we had a dozen bigger needs, made little sense to me then and didn't work out.

VHIII DESERVES to be on this list. He was drafted 11th overall and gave us virtually nothing before being released. But besides some doubts about his size, nobody thought he would be anything less than an excellent cover corner. I remember a hearty debate if he or Jalen Ramsey would be the better pro. So I really can't kill Licht for that. Probably 7 out of 10 in the fanbase make the same pick there.

Key'Shawn Vaughn is flirting with an honorable mention here. I also suspect somebody from this last draft will end up crashing the list.

Finally, Winston...look...enough has been said. The vast majority who didn't want Winston wanted Mariota, who was also a huge disappointment. There was no way they were taking a non-QB there. And while it's really easy to say they should have traded down (it's what I was rooting for), I can't kill Licht for taking a QB when we didn't have one.

[Terry Tate]

Aguayo is literally the most senseless Bucs draft pick ever (apologies to wrong card guy.) There was no argument at the time that made the pick make sense. It wouldn't have made sense regardless of what Aguayo did in the NFL (it might have become more defensible if he'd been great, but that's not the same thing.) Drafting a kicker in the 2nd round is the sort of thing a 5 year old on a Madden server would do and instantly get laughed at for. With good reason.

Beyond that, we can argue. MJ Stewart made no sense. He was either going to be too small and slow to be an effective corner, or too small and undisciplined to be an effective safety. His best case scenario was maybe growing into a decent 6th DB/special teamer. Not a guy you take in the mid-second round. I have no idea what Licht saw in his tape or his workouts that told him otherwise. It's simply not there.

ASJ had more red flags than a Xi rally. I can't quite give a pass for that pick, but it's at least defensible. The guy had top 15 talent. Sometimes, you roll the dice, and sometimes you crap out.

Charles Sims irritated me. He projected as a situational player, which is what he was. Taking him #69 overall, when Doug Martin was still a stud and we had a dozen bigger needs, made little sense to me then and didn't work out.

VHIII DESERVES to be on this list. He was drafted 11th overall and gave us virtually nothing before being released. But besides some doubts about his size, nobody thought he would be anything less than an excellent cover corner. I remember a hearty debate if he or Jalen Ramsey would be the better pro. So I really can't kill Licht for that. Probably 7 out of 10 in the fanbase make the same pick there.

Key'Shawn Vaughn is flirting with an honorable mention here. I also suspect somebody from this last draft will end up crashing the list.

Finally, Winston...look...enough has been said. The vast majority who didn't want Winston wanted Mariota, who was also a huge disappointment. There was no way they were taking a non-QB there. And while it's really easy to say they should have traded down (it's what I was rooting for), I can't kill Licht for taking a QB when we didn't have one.

I 100% can't blame Licht for Winston. We were in dire need, he was the best QB prospect on the board and Licht took a shot.


I agree with all of that except about VH3. He was a CB average at best size who ran a 4.5 40. CB is one position where the 40 time absolutely matters. Tunsil was there for the tacking, we had a big whole at RT and a 2nd year QB to protect.

Carlton Davis happens to be one of the rare exceptions that plays #1 corner and ran a 4.5 or less, but he was also drafted late in the second and not the top half of the first. If you are going to roll the dice on a CB with mediocre measurables, don't do it in the top half of the first.


Yes, I still get pissy about the VH3 pick. I was fighting mad when it happened.

[MJW]

Aguayo is literally the most senseless Bucs draft pick ever (apologies to wrong card guy.) There was no argument at the time that made the pick make sense. It wouldn't have made sense regardless of what Aguayo did in the NFL (it might have become more defensible if he'd been great, but that's not the same thing.) Drafting a kicker in the 2nd round is the sort of thing a 5 year old on a Madden server would do and instantly get laughed at for. With good reason.

Beyond that, we can argue. MJ Stewart made no sense. He was either going to be too small and slow to be an effective corner, or too small and undisciplined to be an effective safety. His best case scenario was maybe growing into a decent 6th DB/special teamer. Not a guy you take in the mid-second round. I have no idea what Licht saw in his tape or his workouts that told him otherwise. It's simply not there.

ASJ had more red flags than a Xi rally. I can't quite give a pass for that pick, but it's at least defensible. The guy had top 15 talent. Sometimes, you roll the dice, and sometimes you crap out.

Charles Sims irritated me. He projected as a situational player, which is what he was. Taking him #69 overall, when Doug Martin was still a stud and we had a dozen bigger needs, made little sense to me then and didn't work out.

VHIII DESERVES to be on this list. He was drafted 11th overall and gave us virtually nothing before being released. But besides some doubts about his size, nobody thought he would be anything less than an excellent cover corner. I remember a hearty debate if he or Jalen Ramsey would be the better pro. So I really can't kill Licht for that. Probably 7 out of 10 in the fanbase make the same pick there.

Key'Shawn Vaughn is flirting with an honorable mention here. I also suspect somebody from this last draft will end up crashing the list.

Finally, Winston...look...enough has been said. The vast majority who didn't want Winston wanted Mariota, who was also a huge disappointment. There was no way they were taking a non-QB there. And while it's really easy to say they should have traded down (it's what I was rooting for), I can't kill Licht for taking a QB when we didn't have one.

I 100% can't blame Licht for Winston. We were in dire need, he was the best QB prospect on the board and Licht took a shot.


I agree with all of that except about VH3. He was a CB average at best size who ran a 4.5 40. CB is one position where the 40 time absolutely matters. Tunsil was there for the tacking, we had a big whole at RT and a 2nd year QB to protect.

Carlton Davis happens to be one of the rare exceptions that plays #1 corner and ran a 4.5 or less, but he was also drafted late in the second and not the top half of the first. If you are going to roll the dice on a CB with mediocre measurables, don't do it in the top half of the first.


Yes, I still get pissy about the VH3 pick. I was fighting mad when it happened.

I mostly deferred to the SEC fans on VHIII. And his highlights were pretty excellent. I thought for sure he'd be a sticky corner for us. Did I want Tunsil when he was sitting there? Hell yes, I did. But we were a year out from drafting Smith, who'd just started every game as a rookie (albeit not well.) I knew he was a Licht favorite and I didn't for one second expect Tunsil to happen. VHIII felt like he was going to be the pick all the way through the process. I never even got my hopes up about Licht swerving to take Tunsil (in his defense, I think he's a better GM now, and I think he probably would if faced with that scenario again.)

[Sanka]

Aguayo is literally the most senseless Bucs draft pick ever (apologies to wrong card guy.) There was no argument at the time that made the pick make sense. It wouldn't have made sense regardless of what Aguayo did in the NFL (it might have become more defensible if he'd been great, but that's not the same thing.) Drafting a kicker in the 2nd round is the sort of thing a 5 year old on a Madden server would do and instantly get laughed at for. With good reason.

Beyond that, we can argue. MJ Stewart made no sense. He was either going to be too small and slow to be an effective corner, or too small and undisciplined to be an effective safety. His best case scenario was maybe growing into a decent 6th DB/special teamer. Not a guy you take in the mid-second round. I have no idea what Licht saw in his tape or his workouts that told him otherwise. It's simply not there.

ASJ had more red flags than a Xi rally. I can't quite give a pass for that pick, but it's at least defensible. The guy had top 15 talent. Sometimes, you roll the dice, and sometimes you crap out.

Charles Sims irritated me. He projected as a situational player, which is what he was. Taking him #69 overall, when Doug Martin was still a stud and we had a dozen bigger needs, made little sense to me then and didn't work out.

VHIII DESERVES to be on this list. He was drafted 11th overall and gave us virtually nothing before being released. But besides some doubts about his size, nobody thought he would be anything less than an excellent cover corner. I remember a hearty debate if he or Jalen Ramsey would be the better pro. So I really can't kill Licht for that. Probably 7 out of 10 in the fanbase make the same pick there.

Key'Shawn Vaughn is flirting with an honorable mention here. I also suspect somebody from this last draft will end up crashing the list.

Finally, Winston...look...enough has been said. The vast majority who didn't want Winston wanted Mariota, who was also a huge disappointment. There was no way they were taking a non-QB there. And while it's really easy to say they should have traded down (it's what I was rooting for), I can't kill Licht for taking a QB when we didn't have one.

Hahaha you just hate Winston.

[Sanka]

Considering overall cost/setback to the franchise, opportunity cost, value of pick disparity, specific lack of return on investment, and “could this disaster have been averted with better foresight (eg was the proverbial writing sufficiently on the wall?)?”:

1. Winston
2. VH3
3. Agauyo
4. MJ Stewart
5. Evans

You can make a case for plenty of others, but in my criteria above, I feel like those are the biggest. There are several (dis)Honorable Mentions in the 2nd round like Spence, SMB, Jones and ASJ and then OJ. 3rd rd RBs that didn’t make any real difference in the first 2 years (or late with Simms) like Simms and Vaughn. And yes, despite everyone’s favorite splash player around here, Devin White has produced like a top 5 pick for about 7 games through a 3 years + a playoff run resume. If that percentage doesn’t radically increase, he’ll be on this list in 2 years.

2021 can’t be on this list yet, but it’s looking like there may be some issues.

Sometimes I wish Winston had gone to Tennessee, the gm had Dalvin to pick but fvk it up.

[Doctor]

A lot of "after the fact" takes in here.
Winston for example, yeah, sure... but honestly miss me with any holier than thou bs as if it wasn't a 99.99% consensus pick. You have the #1 pick and you have no QB... it literally happens every year. And say what you will but Winston was the name to 'tank for' all season that year, remember "Winless for Winston"? Even if you were in the Mariota minority... not like that worked out much better.

This is why I never put much weight in the ridiculous notion of tanking or in the draft altogether. Sometimes the top of a draft class just sucks.


My top spot is OJ Howard.
I (probably like Licht) talked myself into the pick because "well he wasn't supposed to be there and is a great talent and you shouldn't take RB in the first and blah blah blah"... but the truth is we knew who we wanted and we should've gotten him. Not being true to yourself and your process, that's what makes a bad pick for me.

[nybf]

as if it wasn't a 99.99% consensus pick.

You must have missed the countless pages of Winston vs Mariota vs trade back debate. It was anything but consensus.

[MJW]

as if it wasn't a 99.99% consensus pick.

You must have missed the countless pages of Winston vs Mariota vs trade back debate. It was anything but consensus.

This. There was like a 90 page thread. It was not filled with everyone agreeing. Best guess, the board was probably:

50% Winston
25% Mariota
25% Non QB/Trade Down

And most people were REALLY dug into their takes (including me.)

[Terry Tate]

as if it wasn't a 99.99% consensus pick.

You must have missed the countless pages of Winston vs Mariota vs trade back debate. It was anything but consensus.

Maybe. But, for all of the issues Winston has had, he was a starter last year and Mariota wasn't. Winston may be a starter somewhere this year too. We picked the better of the two shit sandwiches/.

At the end of the day, it just shows what a crap shoot drafting a QB is. Look at the best QB's in the league right now, Out of the top 15 the only #1 overall picks are Murray and Stafford. We had the #1 overall in a trap year and it set us back half a decade.

[King Bootz]

You must have missed the countless pages of Winston vs Mariota vs trade back debate. It was anything but consensus.

Maybe. But, for all of the issues Winston has had, he was a starter last year and Mariota wasn't. Winston may be a starter somewhere this year too. We picked the better of the two shit sandwiches/.

At the end of the day, it just shows what a crap shoot drafting a QB is. Look at the best QB's in the league right now, Out of the top 15 the only #1 overall picks are Murray and Stafford. We had the #1 overall in a trap year and it set us back half a decade.

What about Burrow? I would say even early on he's top 15 at least.

[nybf]

You must have missed the countless pages of Winston vs Mariota vs trade back debate. It was anything but consensus.

Maybe.

Maybe what?

[mdb1958]

Dunno

I hope we don't have a top five worst in this draft!

[mdb1958]

Just a small fraction of football players are in this combine, there are football players who can play football at this level and I hope yo yo doesnt stop with the top 100.